It was nearing the end of workday, with Deeks leaning over his desk, flirting with Kensi. Kensi was slightly annoyed, and was constantly looking over her shoulder for Hetty.

'Have you filed your paperwork yet, Mr. Deeks ?' Deeks spun around to see Hetty looking over his desk.

'Huh? Yeah, No. I haven't done the entire thing, but I'm not behind schedule either. See, I have this... uggh...stress-free system, in which I've got to constantly take breaks.' He nodded meditatively to himself. 'I could end up having breakdowns otherwise.'

'And the rest of you? I hope that you have.' Hetty looked around at the rest of them.

Kensi got up. 'Oh, I've completed everything. I think I'm gonna hang out in the gym for awhile.' She walked past Deeks desk. 'Hilarious.' He muttered.

'Alice? You're coming?' Kensi asked the journalist.

Alice got up and followed her. 'Yeah. Sure.'

They headed to the locker rooms, changed, then headed to the gyms. 'So...' Kensi said, pulling out training pads . 'Let's play... an icebreaker.' Alice nodded. 'Rapid fire.'

'I'll start.' Kensi said. 'What's your favourite food?'

'Pastries.' She kicked the pad strapped to Kensi's hand.

'Favorite drink?'

'Black tea.' Side-step and kick.

'Seriously?'

Alice shrugged. 'It is how it is.'

'Favorite Disney Princess.'

'Merida.' Simple front kick.

'Favorite superhero.'

'Marvel or D.C?' Twist and kick.

'Ughh... I don't know? You'll have to ask Eric or Nell that.'

'Wonder Woman. Or Lois Lane. Lois doesn't really qualify, but she's still there.' Turn round, bend low, and back kick.

'Favorite T.V show.'

'Way too many.'

'Siblings?'

'Nope.' Clean and simple side kick.

'Third grade teacher.'

'Marlene Simmons.' Her leg went straight up, and came down hard on the pad.

'You honestly remember?'

'How could you expect me to forget one whole year of my life?'She hit the pad heftily with a back pivot kick and stepped out of the stance, putting her hands on her knees, and panting. 'Sorry,' she wheezed. 'I've got... asthma.' She kneeled down to catch her breath, then fell back into a cross legged sitting position. Kensi walked down to her and offered her a sip from her bottle. Alice gratefully accepted.

'This was fun.' Kensi said.

'Yeah,' Alice agreed, still panting, recovering from her recent asthma attack. She got up using her own knees as support with spright, considering. She was about to take the practice pads from Kensi, when a man knocked on the door of the mostly empty gym.

'Ms. Duranty?'

Alice looked up expectantly. 'Yes?'

'There's a call for you. Persistant person.'

Alice waved a little I'll be right back to Kensi and followed the man to the reception room that was used as a cover for the building. She looked out of place; all the agents there had worn formal attire, and she was the one in a neon green sports bra and a pair of grey and black gym shorts. Ignoring the looks, she went straight to the phone.

Hello? This might be the third time I've called, and still no Alice, The voice on the other end said.

Alice creased her eyebrows. Who could it be? 'Hello?' she said tentatively.

Duranty? Is that you? Oh, Finally! Maybe you can give me a more accessible number next time.

'Dempsey?' She let out a sigh of relief. Wiley was one of best friends back at where she used to work. 'Why did you call now? These are working hours, you bimbo. Hasn't McKay assigned you... The Kardashians or write about...Taylor Swift's suitor list or something?'

Alice... it's McKay. And Jonathan. I thought you should know. They were in Syria. They...

Alice's face whitened as she heard the rest. She was about to get a panic attack, she could tell. She was already gasping for breath. She shook her head, sat down on a chair, and kept her head between her knees. She felt everyone else going on about their usual job, ignorant of what just happened. She could hear a faint, 'Ma'am? Ma'am?' but she couldn't tell whether it was in her head or reality. She could hear her heart pump blood, and then just before her vision tunnelled, she remembered a completely random fact from her school days: This is what happens when our blood pressure is higher than standard atmospheric pressure, that is 760 mm of mercury which is also, what? 10 raised to the power of 5 Pascals?